For known electrical contacts such as contact pins, female connectors, crimp connectors, or cable shoes, it is frequently necessary for particular areas of the contact to have properties different from those of the contact material from which the contact is manufactured. For example, it can be necessary for a contact surface of the contact, which makes a connection to a further contact, to have increased conductivity, improved resistance to corrosion, or a greater mechanical hardness in order to improve an electrical connection to another contact. It is also frequently necessary to increase the durability or lifespan of the contact for frequent connections.
Expensive and complex methods are generally used in order to produce such areas of the contact. For example, at least one further material is deposited onto the contact material by electroplating or chemical vapor deposition. Such methods lead to desired results but are generally costly and require several working steps, high expenditure on material, and generally have a low degree of selectivity.